1 John 4:8
God is LOVE
8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
Matthew 5:38-48
An Eye for an Eye
38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ 39 But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. 40 And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. 41 If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. 42 Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
Love for Enemies
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
God does not think like us...God LOVES everyone...Like a father with a very large family and he has a couple of children that frequently get out of line, a loving father still loves his children -all of them...
The Law of Moses says, "If a man gouges out another’s eye, he must pay with his own eye...If a tooth gets knocked out, knock out the tooth of the one who did it."...But Jesus tells us different: Don’t resist violence and an evil person!...If you are slapped on one cheek, turn the other too...If you are ordered to court, and your shirt is taken from you, give your coat too...If anyone forces you to walk one mile, go with them two miles...Give to those who ask, and don’t turn away from those who want to borrow...There is a saying, ‘Love your friends and hate your enemies.’ ...But Jesus teaches us something a little different: Love your enemies!...Pray for those who persecute you!...In that way you will be acting as true sons of your Father in heaven...For God gives His sunlight to both the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust too...If you love only those who love you, what good is that?...Even the tax collectors do that much...If you are friendly only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else?...Even the heathen do that...But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect...
Does Jesus propose a different set of moral laws that is for weakness and letting people walk on you?...Jesus is teaching us to be kind to everybody and not just to our own friends and family...Even the pagans and heathens and tax collectors were doing that in His time (and our times too)...Jesus is teaching us that the moral laws of God are equal to all...Weak or strong, healthy or unhealthy, rich or poor, all are equal in His eyes...Jesus is promoting LOVE, a Divine LOVE, called Agape...And love is not something that makes one weak...Love makes you stronger and happier...This Divine LOVE is an unselfish love, a love for everyone...No one is left out in this type LOVE...One can be weak or strong, rich or poor, good or evil -all are included in this Divine LOVE...God LOVES all His children...LOVE is stronger than evil...Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect...